English Standard Version
2 Samuel 20:19
19I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the heritage of the Lord?"
2 Samuel 20:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?
- New International Version (NIV)We are the peaceful and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the Lord’s inheritance?”
- New King James Version (NKJV)I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?”
- New Living Translation (NLT)I am one who is peace loving and faithful in Israel. But you are destroying an important town in Israel. Why do you want to devour what belongs to the Lord?”
Context of 2 Samuel 20:19
17And he came near her, and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Listen to the words of your servant." And he answered, "I am listening." 18Then she said, "They used to say in former times, 'Let them but ask counsel at Abel,' and so they settled a matter. I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the heritage of the Lord?" 20Joab answered, "Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy! 21That is not true. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, called Sheba the son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David. Give up him alone, and I will withdraw from the city." And the woman said to Joab, "Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall."
Read all of 2 Samuel 202 Samuel 20:19 word by word
אָנֹכִ֕י שְׁלֻמֵ֖י אֱמוּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אַתָּ֣ה מְבַקֵּ֗שׁ לְהָמִ֨ית עִ֤יר וְאֵם֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לָ֥מָּה תְבַלַּ֖ע נַחֲלַ֥ת יְהוָֽה׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- peaceableשָׁלַםshâlam · to allyH7999
- faithfulאָמַן'âman · be faithfulH539
- in Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- thou seekestבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- to destroyמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- a cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- and a motherאֵם'êm · motherH517
- why wilt thou swallow upבָּלַעbâla‛ · to swallow upH1104
- the inheritanceנַחֲלָהnachălâh · inheritanceH5159
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 20:19
- Genesis 18:23Then Abraham drew near and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
- Romans 13:3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,
- 1 Timothy 2:2for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
- Judges 5:7The villagers ceased in Israel; they ceased to be until I arose; I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel.
- Ezekiel 16:45You are the daughter of your mother, who loathed her husband and her children; and you are the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and their children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite.
- 2 Samuel 17:16Now therefore send quickly and tell David, 'Do not stay tonight at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.'"
- Numbers 16:32And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods.
- Numbers 26:10and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, when the fire devoured 250 men, and they became a warning.
- Psalms 124:3then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;
- Jeremiah 51:34"Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon has devoured me; he has crushed me; he has made me an empty vessel; he has swallowed me like a monster; he has filled his stomach with my delicacies; he has rinsed me out.
- Lamentations 2:2The Lord has swallowed up without mercy all the habitations of Jacob; in his wrath he has broken down the strongholds of the daughter of Judah; he has brought down to the ground in dishonor the kingdom and its rulers.
- 1 Corinthians 15:54When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."
- 2 Corinthians 5:4For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
- 2 Samuel 21:3And David said to the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you? And how shall I make atonement, that you may bless the heritage of the Lord?"
- Exodus 19:5Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;
- Deuteronomy 32:9But the Lord's portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 20:19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19I - peaceable and faithful in Israel - I am for peace, not contention of any kind; I am faithful - I adhere to David, and neither seek nor shall sanction any rebellion or anarchy in the land. Why then dost thou proceed in such a violent manner? Perhaps the woman speaks here in the name and on behalf of the city: "I am a peaceable city, and am faithful to the king." A mother in Israel - That is, a chief city of a district; for it is very likely that the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19I am one - The woman speaks in the name of the whole city, which she means to say was peaceable and loyal.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-22Verses 14-22 Justly is that place attacked, which dares to harbour a traitor; nor will the heart fare better which indulges rebellious lusts, that will not have Christ to reign over them. A discreet woman, by her prudent management, satisfied Joab, and yet saved the city. Wisdom is not confined to rank or sex; it consists not in deep knowledge; but in understanding how to act as matters arise, that troubles may be turned away and benefits secured. A great…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-19The woman shared a saying to persuade Joab not to destroy the entire city, especially a noble one like Abel (short for Abel-beth-maacah, 2 Samuel 20:15), just to catch one criminal. a city that is a mother in Israel: It was common to refer to outlying villages around a larger city as its “daughters.”Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2018-20. They were wont to speak in old time--The translation of the Margin gives a better meaning, which is to this effect: When the people saw thee lay siege to Abel, they said, Surely he will ask if we will have peace, for the law (De 20:10) prescribes that he should offer peace to strangers, much more then to Israelitish cities; and if he do this, we shall soon bring things to an amicable agreement, for we are a peaceable people. The answer of Joab…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 20:19
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries